Glas Javnosti, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
November 27, 2000

Situation in the south of Srbia remains tense

New terrorist attacks possible

Deadline given to members of so-called OVBPM to withdraw is 7:00 p.m. on
Monday. Situation tense in Macedonia as well

BELGRADE - The deadline given by the Government of Serbia to the so-called
Liberation Armby of Bujanovac, Medvedja and Presevo (OVBPM) to withdraw from
the positions they have occupied expired on Monday at 7:00 p.m. As the
deadline nears, the situation in the south of Serbia is increasingly tense
even though, sources claim, during the past 24 hours there has been no
exchange of fire.

The Shiptars are honoring the order of their leader, Hashim Thaci, to
refrain from armed attacks for 48 hours. The fear exists, however, that
terrorist attacks will resume after both these deadlines, which overlap are
up and that the Shiptars may celebrate November 28, Albanian Independence
Day, with a new armed campaign. All the more so because larger groups of
well-armed terrorists remain fortified in the villages of Lucane, Mali
Trnavac and Breznica.

Some movements which have been observed were actually only regrouping of
foreces. In the so-called buffer zone, the terrorists have brought out heavy
weaponry, including 120 mm mortars, which clearly shows their intentions.

State security forces also are bringing out heavy weponry to intervene in
the event the Shiptars do not withdraw.

That new conflicts are possible is demonstrated by a repeat of the Kosovo
scenario. Women, children and elderly people belonging to the Albanian
ethnic minority from the municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja
are leaving their homes and heading toward Macedonia. The Shiptars hope that
they will achieve new pressure on the government in Belgrade by the
international community as a result of the columns of refugees.

The Macedonians are not pleased with these guests and also fear the transfer
of conflicts onto their own territory, all the more so because in Shiptar
villages [in Macedonia] there are armed members of the so-called Kosovo
Liberation Army. As a result, we learned from Macedonian sources, security
measures at the border have been increased and police special forces have
been placed on alert.

* * *

Who are the terrorists of the “OVBPM”?

There are attempts to present the terrorists in the south of Serbia as
guerrillas from Bujanovac, Medvedja and Presevo. If this were the case, KFOR
would not be responsible for them. Sources in Kosovo claim that in Dobrosin,
Konculj and other villages in the south of Serbia, close to the
administrative border of Kosovo, there are well-trained terrorists primarily
from Drenica. All of them completed training in centers in Albania and their
“trial by fire” was in Kosovo where they fought under the command of Hashim
Thaci.

New cadres are being recruited from the ranks of Kosovo youth who are being
trained in centers throughout Kosovo and Metohija. Recently a larger number
of young men was observed in the streets of Pristina dressed in camouflage
uniforms with the insignia of the “UCK” [original Albanian acronmym for KLA]
on their sleeves and red berets.

Lj. Staletovic

Translated by S. Lazovic (Nov. 27, 2000)

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